Building a Legacy
by singer11
Summary: Skeletons from the past and the path of the Dark Side, if left unchanged, can completely consume one's soul, but is it possible that the ability to love can relinquish the bonds of duty and darkness?
1. The Beginning of a Legacy

Feroxa sat idly inside the last minute shuttle to Korriban. Her stomach did not roll inside her with nervousness as it did with the other late arrivals; instead, her chest heaved with excitement and anticipation. After years of training, her father had finally prepared her for the Sith Academy. All of the unrelenting hours she had spent as a young girl in dedication to mastering the power of the Dark Side had finally come to a climax, and she could smell the enriching smell of victory in the air already as she envisioned becoming a Sith Warrior by whatever means necessary. She knew her unsurpassable abilities, and she knew nearly everyone she would come in contact with would be a mere weakling compared to her.

As the shuttle docked, the sliding doors sped open, and Feroxa could immediately feel the coarsing heat of the desert on her smooth yet strong skin. She inhaled the dry air with her eyes gently closed, soaking in the power that this world contained within the inner most depths of its tombs. Her strength in the Force was so strong that she could sense such things, even from incredibly far distances. As she walked towards the entrance to the acolyte receiving station, she noticed an old family friend standing diligently, waiting on her arrival.

Many years ago, Feroxa's father was an overseer on Korriban; he molded and manipulated the Sith Acolytes who were worthy of survival into deadly killing machines, and he quickly weeded out those who were under par. During her father's years of service to the Empire on this planet, he made quite an impressive network of friends, one worthy of mention being Overseer Tremel, the over confident man that stood before Feroxa now. It was Overseer Tremel who observed how gifted Feroxa was with the Force while he was visiting her father at her home, and it was he who became determined to see her excel in the ranks of the Sith Academy. There was one slight problem, however. Overseer Tremel had plans for Feroxa to accelerate through the academy at a faster pace than anyone else, and the Dark Council would not take lightly to Feroxa speeding through her trials. Therefore, as a favor to his close friend, Overseer Tremel made sure that Feroxa's arrival was a secret; he was willing to do whatever necessary to bring to Korriban the only person who he believed worthy of opposing his enemy, Darth Baras.

Once Overseer Tremel greeted his new pupil, he began to discuss guidelines with her, and spoke of how challenging it would be to overcome the trials of the Sith. However, Feroxa did not care how difficult they may be; all she cared about was becoming Sith, and she was willing to do so at any cost. Feroxa soon found herself lost in her many thoughts as they began to merge together, but was soon awoken from her daydreams when Overseer Tremel began to speak of her opposition. "The trials themself are difficult enough, but they are not the greatest trial you face." noted Tremmel, "An accolyte here named Vemrin is your enemy, and he will try to kill you".

"Let him try!" Feroxa roared, "I'll destroy him!"

Later that night, Feroxa lied in her bunk recklessly tossing and turning as she tried to sleep. However, as they frequently did, her thoughts clouded her need for sleep. She could not stop thinking about her afternoon adventure into the tomb of Ajunta Pall, where she mindlessly bashed crawl slugs until she happened upon the chamber she had been searching for. She walked the long corridor to the end of the chamber to find the fine weapon Overseer Tremmel commissioned her retrieve. She remembered how glorious it was to finally hold a weapon of such caliber and strength, and she recalled herself basking in the limelight as she confidently strolled into the Academy's main hall, which was filled with the seering eyes of many sith Lords and Darths who were taken by surprise at her surmounting success.

Many days went by as Feroxa excelled in her training. She was catching the eye of literally everyone of importance in the Academy, and was gaining quite a reputation of power and strength, two very important aspects of the Sith Warrior. As she arrived in the training area one day, Feroxa was encountered by a very unanticipated surprise. She walked around the corner only to notice two very calm and concentrated male acolytes who appeared as if they were patiently waiting for someone. Unafraid of the outcome, Feroxa turned the corner and sauntered towards the training room.

"Hey there, acolyte, hold on a moment and let me look at you," spoke one of the waiting acolytes. Feroxa could not help but smirk as the Force informed her that she was speaking to her nemesis, Vemrin, and his little lap dog. "So you're Overseer Tremel's secret weapon? You are impressive, but the old man has waited too long to make his move. I'm Vemrin, and I have fought and bled for everything I have, unlike you. So I demand respect." he said again.

"You don't want to make me angry, Vemrin," Feroxa added with a hateful glare.

"Believe it or not. I am trying to keep you from getting killed," stated Vemrin, "If you had come a year ago, when I first arrived, you might have had a chance, but not now".

Feroxa had become very angry at Vemrin's consistent lashes towards her, and she decided to end the conversation where it stood. "I will take everything that belongs to you, and then I will kill you".

"You have no idea the enemy you're making" said Vemrin.

With that last insult Vemrin stomped off, leaving his oversized lap dog to warn Feroxa not to come after Vemrin. She was not afraid, though. She refused to let an idiot with no more strength than a fighting toddler in a sandbox fight eat at her mind. She had more important things to think about, such as becoming Sith.

Weeks passed before Feroxa's next encounter with her enemies. She was returning to Overseer Tremmel after successfully slaying the beast inside Marko Rangus's tomb when she was cut off by Vemrin's lackey. _This will be fun_, Feroxa thought as she approached the overly heavy man.

"Well. Look Who's here. Remember me?" he hissed with a snarl.

" You need to move out of my way," Feroxa strongly replied.

"Notice anything interesting?" asked the man, "No witnesses. No witnesses means no rules No more shortcuts and special treatments. You are just going to be another dead failure on Korriban." Feroxa became angered by this large idiot's insults, and launched an attack upon him. She ripped through him like paper, not stopping, not even to listen to him plea for his life. As he fell to his death, Feroxa became thrilled with passion and rage, and she lightly scoffed at the man for thinking he could defeat her.

Upon arrival to Tremel's office, Tremel informed Feroxa that they had been found out, and that Darth Baras requested an audience with her. She did not fear what lie ahead, only anticipated. It was finally her time to shine and show a Darth what she was capable of. Unfortunately, the Darth was not very impressed with Feroxa at first, and it enraged her. _I can't believe that oaf had the nerve to call me young, undiciplined, and foolish. I will show him what I am capable of._However, she did not back down from her rigid stature, thus intriguing Darth Baras greatly.

"You are reliable. But your understanding of the Sith Code is devastating," Baras said with disdain, "I am your master now. Tremel was becoming lax before you ever arrived. His unwillingness to adapt has become a liability. These are the actions of a traitor. Traitors are to be executed. I grant you immunity from punishment if you kill Tremel and bring back his hand as proof."

"Of course, master." replied Feroxa swiftly. The thought of one killing their father's good friend and colleague would probably trouble a normal person, but not Feroxa. Yes, her father trained her well and taught her how to survive on Korriban, but he was a terrible father. Scenes of the past flashed before Feroxa's mind like many film strips combining into one horrific holograph of pain and suffering. Her mind traveled back to when she was a young girl, only six. Her and her mother were out shopping in the market on their home planet of Dromund Kaas, and had returned home early due to a surprise of bad weather. Feroxa was happy to be alive, and loved her mother and father dearly, but this was about to change the moment she walked through her front door. From her parents' bedroom she heard the screams of her mother who scurried inside far ahead of her.

"Get out! Get out, you tramp! I will not live with your deceit any longer! You are fired!I never want to see your face here again!" This statement made Feroxa sigh with a deep feeling of fear as she witnessed the family's Twi'lek slave run out from her parents' bedroom, only covered by a crimson sheet. "You too, Eldin! I cannot even look at you! You said you were done with her, yet here we stand!"

Suddenly, Feroxa felt tears streaming down her face. She was young, but she was old enough to realize what had happened. Her father, the only man in the world she looked up to, the man she thought was perfect in every way, shape, and form, had just emotionally destroyed her mother. She couldn't help but wonder how long this emotional destruction had been going on behind her back, and if maybe it was all her fault. With each strike her mother received, Feroxa could hear her mother's wails and cries. _Why father, Why? Why would you do this to mother?_Her sobs had resulted in waterfalls flowing from her eyes.

Feroxa's painful memory had left her so distracted that she did not notice the extremely large footstool sitting outside of Tremel's office; she let out a minor yelp as she stubbed her toe on the footstool's leg. She cursed under her breath, wiped a single tear from her eye, and regained composure as she marched into Tremel's office.


	2. A Friend After All

"I didn't expect for you to get back to me so soon. Did Baras send you back to me?"

Feroxa closed in on Overseer Tremel like a lioness stalking its prey. _I will have to send my condolences to father once I am finished with this._"Baras wants you dead, Tremel. You have been a thorn in his side for many years now, and it is over," proclaimed Feroxa with her huntress glare.

Tremel stumbled to find the right words. "Then I have been outplayed, but I am surprised you would cross me. I am practically your own flesh and blood. You could not have gotten into the Academy without me, and you will be defying your father in my death"

Feroxa truly did love these moments. She reveled in making swift, sarcastic comments to her prey before their death. It was a part of her personality that had stayed with her throughout her entire life, and probably would until the day she died. "I recall a certain teacher teaching me that once something has become unuseful, it must be disgarded," she teased, "and as for my father, Tremel, you would have been better off swearing to me that you never knew the man!"

With that being said, Feroxa struck her Overseer down. She thought it was entertaining how he could be her savior for getting her into the Academy one minute, and then her enemy the next. No remorse filled her heart. She was glad that Tremel was dead, simply for the fact that it would cause her father sheer anguish. _He deserves to hurt. Hurt as I have hurt. He deserves to feel. Feel as I have feeled. He deserves to know betrayal, as I have._As a token of her rage, Feroxa placed upon her finger a delightfully beautiful ring worn by Tremel to remind her of her victory, no doubt its worth was invaluable.

"I am impressed you had the ability to destroy him," noted Darth Baras, "how did it feel to betray him?"

Marvelous. "It was day I will always remember. I savored in the victory". Feroxa cooed.

"Bravo. I see that you may indeed become one of the strongest sith in the galaxy," determined Baras, "you are now my apprentice".

Feroxa became filled with more excitement and passion at the sound of these words than anything else her thoughts could recall. The turmoil presented in the Academy was at an end for her, and she reveled in her accomplishment. _I am Sith, and I am going to be the strongest Sith in the galaxy!_Her illumination was quickly cut to an end, though, when Baras interupted her thoughts with his words.

"Take this enslaved Twi'lek of mine as a gift. Use her as you see fit, and she will accompany you to Dromund Kaas, where we will begin to strike down the Empire's enemies." motioned Baras.

This instantly made Feroxa uncomfortable. She was always the person who worked alone, and she was known to kill those who she did work with. _This Twi'lek will not survive a minute at my side...Baras is undoubtedly trying to annoy me._"Yes, master." Feroxa negatively chimed, followed by her and Vette heading for the exit.

"So I wonder what Dromund Kaas is like...are there a bunch of freaky Sith people just walking around everywhere, or is everyone all brainwashed to bow down and worship the Sith?" Vette asked frantically. "And what about the forests there? I heard they were filled with these wild crazy things that have claws that look like this..." Vette began to contort her hands around her mouth in an odd shape in a sad attempt to convey what the beast she was describing looked like.

"Pipe down Twi'lek, or I will shock you where you stand!" yelled Feroxa.

"Geez, sorry," Vette stated, while full of remorse, "just trying to make a little small talk and pass the time on this gosh awful shuttle".

At the sound of these words, Feroxa decided to put an end to the situation before the Twi'lek began to annoy her again. "Look, Vette...", Feroxa paused to rub her forehead in an attempt to relieve her stress, "I am not very good at making friends. The friends I make I kill. I really do like the idea of someone running around during errands for me, so please do us both a favor and remain silent for the rest of our trip."

"So I'm basically your minion, then? Sounds like fun" Vette exclaimed sarcastically.

Feroxa let out an indecipherable groan with Vette's apology, and persisted with rubbing her forehead. _It is bad enough that I must return to my home planet of pain and treachery, but now I have a blue five year old child to babysit as well._

The next several weeks on Dromund Kaas consisted of repetitive actions called for by Darth Baras. He was ordering Feroxa to extensively clean up his newly broken web of spies on the planet. Since Feroxa's mission was going smoothly, she decided to take it upon herself to have one evening of rest and relaxation at a bustling cantina in Kaas City. Vette, of course, lept with gratitude at the disclosure of their evening off from killing sprees, bombs, and blaster fire. Feroxa and Vette sat in a secluded booth in the most extreme corner of the cantina, although one could hardly say it was secluded as they were surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people dancing nearby, two men chatting loudly in a nearby booth about their leave from the military, and several waitresses scurrying by in an attempt to scramble together drink orders. Feroxa looked over at Vette for the first time that evening and noticed deep thought in her eyes. She wondered what the simple Twi'lek could be thinking about.

"Do you have something you would like to say, Vette?"

"Uhmm...yea...I guess so." she mumbled. "I've been thinking...we aren't exactly friends, but we aren't exactly enemies either, so... maybe you could cut me some slack and remove my shock collar?" Feroxa smirked lightheartedly at Vette; the way she asked for the collar to be removed was truly entertaining in her eyes. Vette was right, though; over the past few weeks, Feroxa had grown to appreciate Vette's back up, even if Vette did frequently annoy her with her comments.

"Of course Vette," Feroxa nodded, "you've earned it".

Vette responded with a shockwave of confusion, "Wow, I-I...did not expect that to go so well. If I had known it would, I would have asked a long time ago"

"Don't push it Vette." Feroxa barked. She had become more open to the idea of an accomplice throughout her adventures, but the thought of having an actual friend that cared for her and vice versa was a little too much for her to handle right now.

Vette sighed for a brief moment, and then proceeded to speak, "Ahhh...well, a girl can dream, can't she?"

Feroxa decided to view Vette's question as rhetorical, thus it did not require answering. Instead she just sloshed her drink around in her hand, observing the smooth liquid dance around the small glass.

"Well," Vette exclaimed soon after their awkward pause in conversation, "I hate to ruin the total family moment that we just had, but I'm totally wiped. I'm going to bed."

Feroxa's gaze upon her drink did not falter as Vette headed upstairs to their double suite. As a matter of fact, her gaze strengthened; any stronger and the warrior would have shattered the glass with the Force. Feroxa spent this time alone to dwell on her feelings; she was feeling very clouded about her family being here on her home planet of Dromund Kaas, and her recent hand in the murder of Overseer Tremel. She thought that his death would provide her with the deep rendering satisfaction of causing her father emotional torment, but instead it did just the opposite. Tremel's death caused her to confront her true feelings of sadness and loneliness. Feroxa did hate her father, but instead of ruining him and eventually killing him, Feroxa could not help but long for what she thought her father should have been, loyal, caring, and understanding. She looked up from her glass for a brief moment and noticed one of the men in the booth next to her was eyeing her delightfully. She considered him to be adequate looking with his scruffy blonde hair and bright green eyes, but she did not consider him attractive enough to make the cut. She prefered dark hair to blonde hair and blue eyes to green eyes; green eyes to her were a genetic imperfection that should be disgarded. Not to mention, this man was very rough looking, which made Feroxa roll her eyes in displeasure. She was not interested in the loose cannon, hardball type; those men were too double minded, and were not reliable enough to trust in her opinion.

Feroxa turned away from the man watching her and headed toward the cantina's exit. From there, she made her way up the stairs beside the cantina into her suite. Suddenly, an unexplainable tired feeling came over Feroxa, so she lazily slid into bed and began to fall into a deep sleep immediately. She was on the brink of conscious release when she heard a voice call out from the next room.

"Hey, thanks." Vette called.

The sith warrior was so exhausted that she did not feel like scolding Vette. Instead she figured she would appease the Twi'lek just this once. "You're welcome, Vette. Goodnight." Feroxa called out.

Vette couldn't help but let a smile spread accross her face when her new master addressed her so nicely. _Maybe I might get a new friend in this mess after all..._ she thought to herself as she slipped away into a calming slumber.


	3. Family Ties

Feroxa tossed and turned in her sleep that night. Just to look at her, it would appear as if she was dreaming of battling a great enemy; to some degree, that is correct. Inside her mind, Feroxa was fighting with the same tormenting nightmare that she had been plagued with every night since her and Vette's arrival on Dromund Kaas.

"Watch out my dear," Feroxa's mother warned her, "that fire is hot, and if you are not careful you may burn yourself". Feroxa, being the vibrant youth that she was, did not listen. Instead, she extended her hand in farther towards the cooking flame. Feroxa's mother screamed and dropped the vegetables in her hand as she saw Feroxa's hand engulf in flames. Much to Feroxa's dismay, she allowed her mother to treat her wound, even though she had felt no pain from it.

"I am telling you mother," Feroxa scolded, "I am fine".

However, Roana believed her headstrong daughter was only saving face. At this point, neither she or Feroxa's father had any comprehension of Feroxa's power, or that it even existed in the first place. To them, she was just a simple seven year old girl who liked to play with dolls and have tea parties. Roana decided to appease her daughter's actions, though, and play along.

"Well, whether it hurt or not it was dangerous," her mother voiced "pain and injury are two completely different things, my dear, and they are not required to be intertwined".

As Roana continued to rub Kolto gel on Feroxa's wound, the long sleeves of her dress began to obstruct her view. Without thinking of what was underneath, Roana took the tips of her fingers on her right hand, being careful not to soil her dress with the gel, and pulled up the sleeve to move it. Once she looked down on her arm and realized what she had done, though, she quickly fumbled to remove her arm from sight. Even so, she was not fast enough, and Feroxa's unnatural speed had gripped her mother's wrist before her mother had time to think about sliding her sleeve back to its original resting spot.

"What are these bruises, mother?" Feroxa calmly asked, "and how did you get them?".

"it is nothing my dear," Feroxa's mother said reassuringly, "just a few little bumps from where I fell the other day".

Feroxa retreated to her room to play with her toys when she heard a loud and subdued scream rousing from the kitchen. As she walked down her personal staircase and peered around the corner separating her staircase from the kitchen, she was bewildered and furious. Feroxa saw her father as she had never seen him before, gripping the arms of her mother as if his hands were iron chains. Suddenly, his iron chains ferociously released her mother onto the ground with a jolt of anger, and Feroxa's mother collapsed in the floor, crying in anguish.

"First, you cannot bear me a son," Feroxa's father screamed, "and now you cannot follow simple orders".

Feroxa winced as she continued to watch the pain her in mothers eyes and the fury in her father's face.

"Please, Roana, do tell me what possible use I could still have for you!". Feroxa's father was yelling even louder now; any louder and he would most likely cause a scene with their neighbors.

As Feroxa watched her father mutilate her mother, she became infuriated. It was almost as if some unknown power over her was beginning to take over, and she had no choice but to relish it or be destroyed by it. Then, her mind began to ponder on how long this abuse had been going on, which made her even angrier. Before she knew what was happening, her eyes had begun to pulsate with a red, glowing light, and her fists had balled up so tightly that her fingernails were starting to penetrate the skin on her hand. Suddenly, Feroxa found herself taking in a deep breath and succumbing to her wild and deadly desires. She screamed. She screamed until her throat felt as if it would burst into flames. The soundwave from her battle cry was so great that it knocked both of her parents into the opposite wall, rendering her mother unconscious and her father contorted in the floor, baffled at what he had just witnessed.

He looked at her, then, and he saw the killer that she could become. For so long Feroxa's father was convinced that not having a son to carry on his blood line was detrimental to his family, but he now saw the raw, untamed power his young daughter possessed. His eyes are what scared Feroxa, along with his coniving, deep rooted laughter. She did not know what was to become of her as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into the training room. All she knew was that she was filled with bloodlust at this very young age, and had the urgent need to satisfy it.

"Perhaps, you will not be as useless as your mother after all," Feroxa's father chuckled.

Feroxa awoke with an alarming scream. She frantically searched the room that surrounded her and turned her head several times in an attempt to become coherent. She had figured that by now her traumatizing nightmare wouldn't be so terrifying, but she was wrong; it still tore her mind to pieces. She glanced towards the end of her bed and noticed a very concerned looking Twi'lek standing there.

"Hey," Vette asked cautiously, "are you okay?".

Feroxa slowly began to sit up from her laying position, shifting quickly as she noticed that the entire bed was damp from her nervous sweating previously.

"I was getting up this morning and a heard screams coming from your room", Vette explained, "when I came in to see what was what, you were rolling in your bed, shaking".

Feroxa had no idea that her nightmare claimed that much power over her. "I am alright," she interjected solemnly, "it was just a bad dream".

"I see," proclaimed Vette, "that happens from time to time I guess, need anything?"

"A drink," Feroxa moaned as she leaned forward on her knee to rub her forehead.

Vette strolled into the kitchen and quickly returned with a large pitcher of water and a crystal glass, which instantly annoyed Feroxa.

"I said a drink you imbecile, not water!" Feroxa screamed at Vette.

Vette considered making a smart remark at Feroxa's complaint, but decided she did not want to die at the hands of a stressed out Sith. She knew Feroxa had grown to tolerate and sometimes even enjoy her company, but she also knew that they were not close enough for Vette's death to cause Feroxa any remorse. Knowing now what Feroxa required Vette stepped into the next room and acquired a liquor bottle from the bar cabinet, and upon her return she was surprised to see her very on edge Sith friend emerging from her stay room.

Feroxa stole a glance at Vette, looked down at the drink tray she was carrying, and then glanced back at Vette again. What Feroxa said next formed a half smile on both of their faces. "What is this I see here, Vette? One glass?". Vette was very puzzled by Feroxa's remark, but found it funny all the same. Feroxa continued, "Surely you are not going to make your master drink alone, why...that would make her something along the lines of pathetic...". Both of them shared in a quick chuckle as Vette retreated to the bar cabinet to grab a second glass.


	4. Ghost from the Past

Over the next several weeks, Feroxa took down every target Baras threw at her; she was a virtually unstoppable force, and part of her master cringed in fear at the thought of her defeating him one day. He knew she was probably the only Sith in the galaxy that could challenge him, so she must be watched closely. Upon Feroxa's return to Baras from the Dark Temple, all of his suspicions of her great power were confirmed, as he was not quite sure he would see her again.

"When I sent you in after the Ravager, my apprentice, I did not expect you to make it back." Baras exclaimed. "My prisoner will now break at my whim, and tell us of his information".

Just like that, the Republic spy that stood before them started to break, and he relayed all of the information he had been harboring. He spoke of a Jedi Master, Nomen Karr, and how the jedi had commissioned an Imperial spy on Nar Shaddaa to work for the Republic.

"Ahh...Nomen Karr," Baras grumbled, "my most hated enemy".

"What is the significance of this Nomen Karr, master?" asked Feroxa.

"Nomen Karr once infiltrated the Sith ranks. I rooted him out, but not before he almost defeated me and many double agents for the Republic," stated Baras, "he has dedicated himself to proving that the Sith have spy networks within the Jedi Order and the Republic".

"Yes," Feroxa chimed, "but the mystery is how did this Master Nomen Karr come to suspect your spy on Nar Shaddaa?"

"You heard my apprentice, you Republic worm," Baras interjected, "how?".

"Master...Nomen Karr has...a new...Padawan. She seems to...know every being's...true nature. She senses...hidden darkness...and...untapped purity." said the spy.

"Interesting," exclaimed Baras, "continue, worm".

"All I know is...the padawan...saw darkness in your...spy...when she...saw him." gasped the spy.

"Where did this pest of a padawan come from you Republic dog?" Baras yelled.

"Found...on...on Alderaan. P-P-P-Power...first...emerged on Tatooine...and she had...Nomen Karr send...other spy to...investigate someone the agent suspected on...Balmorra.", breathed the spy.

With that last sentence, the only tie to Nomen Karr and his unique padawan slowly faded away into death, which sent Baras into a screaming rage.

Feroxa was filled with exhiliration as she exited Baras's quarters for her master had entrusted in her a starship of her very own. Yes, she now had a long, tedious assignment ahead of her in order to hunt down Master Nomen Karr and his troublesome padawan, but her excitement had caused that thought to retreat to the back crevices of her mind. All she could think about at this moment was how glorious it felt to own a starship, and how owning a personal starship in the Empire was considered very aristocratic.

Feroxa's excitement soon burned dry as her and Vette were waiting in line for speeders to take them to the spaceport. For some reason, travel from Kaas City had been briefly interrupted for security reasons, and a Darth was overseeing speeder travel. Therefore, Feroxa thought it best to not provoke the Darth, and to wait for a speeder with patience.

"Can you believe we are going to be riding in a new starship," Vette squeaked, "we will sooo...be riding in style now!"

Feroxa chuckled at Vette's obvious impatience to acquire a speeder and board the new ship, and noticed a very large strand of hair in her face. Her hair was cut right under her chin, so he did not normally have this problem, but when she did, it seemed like the longer side of her hair was trying to blind her. Then, just as Feroxa began to brush her hair back with her free right hand, she opened her mouth in astonishment and gazed off into the market place.

It was very obvious that the woman off in the distance buying rancor eggs was her mother. She possessed every single feature Feroxa had, only her's were the results of many more years of aging that Feroxa had not yet had the opportunity to experience. Her hair was even cut short like Feroxa's; the only difference was her hair had turned modestly gray, with a few brown streaks here and there.

"My God," Feroxa breathed.

"What? What is it?" Vette asked with a confused glare. When she looked forward from Feroxa's stare, however, she was more than capable of putting the pieces together.

"Oh, my God," Vette squealed, that's your mother isn't it?"

Feroxa did not answer her, but looked at her with a "yes" expression upon her face.

"Oh...My...God," Vette remarked again, this time with more anticipation in her voice, "you are from Dromund Kaas, and we are staring straight at your mother. But you are still standing here talking to me? Why don't you go talk to he-"

"That is out of the question!" Feroxa snarled.

"Okay, geez, cool down," Vette responded remorsefully, "I just figured you would want to. I know I would if it was my mother. Her, my sister, and I were sold into slavery when I was very young, and I have not spoken to or heard from my mother since".

"I am very sorry about that, Vette" Feroxa stated, "but I must say the situation I am in with my mother is profoundly different; when I left for my training on Korriban, she informed me that she never wanted to speak to me again, and that I was dead to her".

"What? No way!" Vette chattered, "your mom must love you. Why would she say something like that?"

"It has to do with my father," Feroxa spoke as she bowed her head in disappointment, "she was convinced that if I attended the Academy I would become just like him, and she refused to watch her daughter turn into a monster".

"Hey, you are not a monster," Vette calmly spoke as she place her hand on Feroxa's left shoulder, "a little crazy, perhaps, but not a monster."

"Thank you, Vette" Feroxa said, almost smiling, "you don't know how much it means to me to hear that." Feroxa added, "I know I will not end up like my father; he trained for destruction and mayhem, but I am only interested in serving the Empire. It is the only solid thing I have to believe in".

Vette couldn't help but feel sorry for her new friend knowing that the only betrayal she hadn't witnessed in her life was from the Empire.

"Well, as much as I'd love to sit her and chat about inner hope and joy, it looks like the speeders are fixed," Vette remarked, "let's get out of here".

"Yes," Feroxa added, "let's".

As Feroxa turned to mount the speeder in front of her, she turned around to get one last look at the market place, where her broken dreams stood before her very eyes.

"Apprentice, I trust you find your starship satisfactory?" Darth Baras asked as soon as he appeared on Holocall.

"It is truly an outstanding vessel," Feroxa replied.

"Very well, then," Baras stated, "now to business...Nomen Karr's efforts to expose my spies and prove his padawan's power to the Jedi Council must be met with systemic failure. You will exhaust yourself in this charge."

`Hmmm...shows what that fool knows; there is nothing in the galaxy that could exhaust me.`

"Where do you suggest I begin?" Feroxa retorted.

"The padawan will have to be hunted down and destroyed," Baras ordered, "but first, you must secure my spy network on Balmorra and Nar Shaddaa by silencing them." "My contacts on Balmorra and Nar Shaddaa will inform you of want tasks are to be carried out next. Your work is paramount, Apprentice. Bring cruelty. Bring rage. Bring death."

"I don't know about you, but I'm inspired," Vette interjected.

"This is the beginning of greatness, Vette," Feroxa added.

"Well, I am happy if you are happy," Vette replied, "I'm along for the ride wherever it takes us".

Feroxa nodded at both Vette and Darth Baras as Vette walked off to the engine room and Darth Baras ended the Holocall, which left Feroxa with nothing to do but relax in her captain's chair and revel in the feel and sight of her magnificient and without a doubt luxurious new ship. She now found herself anticipating whatever trials, tasks, and adventures awaited her. She was ready for action.

"Vette...", Feroxa yelled out, "could you come in here a moment please?"

Vette quickly darted towards the front of the ship. "You rang?", she smirked.

"Yes," Feroxa responded, "come sit with me, we quite a while before we reach Balmorra, and I dare say I am already bored."

Vette rolled her eyes as she occupied at chair to the right of her Sith master. "Did I ever tell you about that time I randomly woke up inside a shipment crate on Hutta?" Vette laughed.


	5. A Man in Uniform

"My Apprentice, I see you have arrived on Balmorra. Excellent." Darth Baras exclaimed. "Your contact there is Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. I trust he will be most helpful".

"I have no doubt, master," Feroxa doted. She figured anyone who was under the harsh approval of Darth Baras was undeniably skilled; however, she was not one to make rash assumptions about people before meeting them. Therefore, she was determined to see exactly how useful this Lieutenant was herself.

"This is an important mission and I only entrust the finest," Darth Baras mentioned pridefully. Feroxa drastically hated the way Baras carried himself, so full of cowardness and fear. She had no doubt that these traits would one day become his greatest weakness. "Quinn will meet you in his office at Sobrik headquarters. We will speak again as soon as he has briefed you". With that being said Baras cut the Holograph channel connecting the two, leaving Feroxa to prepare for landing. From the air, Balmorra appeared to be a beautiful planet, full of passion and life, but much to her dismay, Feroxa knew better. Balmorra had been a sight of extreme turmoil between the Empire and the Republic for several years now, thus resulting in the planet becoming an endless wasteland of satellites, over sized lizards, and grass. The very thought of its unpleasantness caused Feroxa to groan in anguish.

"Let us be swift about this Vette," Feroxa remarked as she and Vette entered the elevator to take them up to Sobrik's main floor, "I do not want to stay on this mindless abomination of a rock any longer than I am required to".

"Have it your way," Vette chimed, "as for me, I'm trying to look on the bright side. This planet has some sun".

"If you were as concerned about our operations as you are about your tan, then maybe we would have arrived here a bit sooner," Feroxa smirked as she thought of how glorious her comeback was. She doubted even Vette could come up with a sarcastic remark that could top that one.

"Sith 1, Vette 0," Vette jokingly admitted.

Feroxa and Vette were now approaching the vast array of offices located in the back corridors of the Sobrik spaceport, and Feroxa began to feel her impatience escalate as they struggled to locate the Lieutenant's office.

"I'm sure it's around here somewhere," Vette breathed, "it's not like it just grew legs and walked off".

"I don't know, but if we do not find it soon I am going to remove the legs of the next person I see so that we may use them to go catch this runaway office," Feroxa scolded.

Feroxa and Vette began to round a corner to the left when a nervous, senseless Imperial soldier randomly bumped into them. He grazed Feroxa's shoulder with his elbow, enabling her into defense mode. She lifted the helpless man off of the ground, and she threw him into the opposite wall in the small corridor.

"State your business, soldier," Feroxa demanded, "and explain to me why on earth you thought you could simply 'bump' into a Sith!"

The soldier's legs and arms flailed as he tried to grasp his neck where Feroxa's force grip held tight on him. "M-My lady...". Feroxa's grip then became tighter. "S-S-Sorry, m-my lord," the soldier whimpered in regret of his indecent address. "Cor-Corporal Jillins here. It was an accident, m-my lord. Just tr-trying to please my Lieutenant, m-my lord". "And who is this supervising officer of yours, you worthless worm? Give me his name so that I may inform him of you insubordinate actions towards a Sith". "Nooo...p-p-please, my lord. It was truly an accident". Feroxa began to loosen her grip on the wide eyed, red faced corporal. The corporal leaned forward to brace himself by his knees and catch his breath. "Lieutenant Malavai Quinn is my superior officer, my lord, but I beg you...please do not report me to him. He is already cross with me today. Threatened to have me killed if I disappointed again." "Hmm...," Feroxa cooed, "I might enjoy working with this man after all". Feroxa looked down to notice the corporal rubbing his neck and barely standing. "For God's sake man, get up," Feroxa barked, "no wonder your superior officer threatened to kill you, "you the are exact opposite of what the Empire stands for".

"My apologies for your delay, my Lord".

Feroxa slowly turned her head to notice a very slim and muscular officer standing before her. She instantaneously became flustered as she subtly traced over his entire body with her eyes. His skin was radiant, smooth, and a little pale. Under normal circumstances Feroxa would have made a comment towards him about getting a little more sun, but this man's paleness added to his extreme attractiveness. She delighted as her eyes scanned his perfect, chisled face, which held no sign of flaw, except for a nearly insignifcant yet noticable mole slightly under his left eye. Feroxa, however, found his mole to be quite well placed and dashing. The man's smooth, slicked black hair teased her so; it was her after all, her favorite hair color on a man. Her eyes then made their way over the sharp contours of his chest. It was blatantly obvious that this officer had excelled in physical training because his perfectly sculpted chest and legs were nearly uncomparable with any other's. As Feroxa felt her eyes centering slightly below his midsection she quickly realized that her eyes had widened immensely, and she then shifted her glance to his eyes. She had never seen such deep, mysterious eyes before. They were as blue as ice, and they glanced back at her as if they would devour her very heart right then and there.

"I am Lieutenant Malavai Quinn," the man said as he bowed to her, "I am to be your liason here on Balmorra". Feroxa instantly became flushed at the idea that this was the man she had been looking for. He must have overheard her skirmishes with his soldier and scurried to see what was going on.

_There he goes with that irresistible voice again.  
_

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Feroxa replied. She marveled at herself for being strong enough to compose words together to form a complete sentence in his presence. She was, first and foremost, a woman with emotional and physical needs of her own, so why not admire this man's beauty?

"And to you, my Lord," the lieutenant remarked as he once more bowed before her.

_Oh, you're so respectful, way to draw me to you even more, Lieutenant._

"Lord Baras will brief you personally, but I am to acquaint you with the climate here on Balmorra first".

"Of course, Lieutenant, proceed".

"I won't mince words, my Lord," he noted. "Even though the Empire wrestled control from the Republic during the war, We were never able to completely eradicate them. There is a rather sizable resistance movement. No one wants to admit it, but it is clear that the Republic is backing it."

"The Republic cannot be tolerated," Feroxa scolded as she filled with rage towards the Republic for committing such an action as this.

"I agree, my Lord. It is my dream to see our enemy vanquished".

Feroxa's heart leapt at the Lieutenant's response. She had not expected him to be as dutifully bound to the Empire as she was, and it honestly thrilled her to know that someone else in this world shared her passion.

"My Lord, I have a secure line to Darth Baras. I will patch him through immediately."

Much to Feroxa's dismay, the Lieutenant quickly exited the room as soon as Baras answered on Holocall. She then became reminded that she must focus on the task at hand, and attempted to quickly eradicate all thoughts of Lieutenant Malavai Quinn from her mind. Unfortunately, for her, it was a task easier said than done, for she could not rid her thoughts of him completely.

"Ah, my Apprentice, we finally begin our campaign on Balmorra," Darth Baras exhorted. "The spy you will be killing for me is Commander Rylon of the Republic Resistance. He is the central contact for all my operatives in this sector".

In a well developed attempt to show respect, Feroxa nodded for her master to continue.

"Unfortunately, Quinn is tracking an investigator the Jedi Council has sent. That means we have to cover our tracks before you kill Rylon. Your first mandate is to destroy evidence that links Rylon to the sabotaging of Balmorra's defense systems during the war. To do so, you must break into the satellite control tower. Quinn reports that the tower is a death trap of mechanical security"

Feroxa scoffed as she cocked her hip and crossed her arms. She was nearly insulted by the Darth's subtle lack of confidence in her.

"Quinn has everything you'll need. I'll summon him back. Keep in touch."

Seconds later, Lieutenant Quinn reentered the room, no doubt setting Feroxa's heart on fire once again.

"My Lord," he addressed her, "I have prepared what you need for your assault on the satellite control tower. In order to destroy the mainframe, you will need to mount this charge to the base and activate it. Then you must contact me so that I will be able to detonate."

Feroxa nodded to the Lieutenant and motioned Vette to accompany her out the door. As soon as the door closed behind them, Feroxa fell back against it in sheer awe of her new liason. "My God," Feroxa exclaimed as she turned her head toward Vette, "could that man possibly be any more good looking?".

"Heh, heh," Vette laughed contrarily, "you're joking...right?". With the aid of Feroxa's frightening glare towards her, Vette realized that she definitely WAS NOT joking. "Oh, so you really think he's cute, huh?" Vette asked rhetorically. "I guess you could say that," Vette added, "in a prim and proper sort of way". As Vette made that last statement, she suddenly stiffened herself into a sarcastic Imperial salute, but quickly realized her joke angered her Sith friend and apologized.

Despite Baras's and Quinn's assumptions, Feroxa handled the satellite tower security watch with ease. She swiftly glided through the air, shredding through her opposition as if they were pieces of string. Once she had finally advanced far enough into the base to plant the explosive device Quinn provided her with, Feroxa activated her Holocom to call Quinn. Her heart desperately skipped a beat at the chance to hear his voice again. The Lieutenant caught both Feroxa and Vette off guard when he answered almost immediately after the call was made.

"My Lord, I mark your progress, and see that the charge is armed. I will detonate once you are a safe distance."

After briefing Darth Baras's apprentice on her next task of disposing Commander Rylon's son, Lieutenant Quinn swiftly scurried off to the other end of the Sobrik Command Center and slid into his supervisor's chair. "Very well, then, men...," he spoke as he turned to address his crew. "We have a highly important mission to uphold in which the lot of you are expected to preform extensively. I do not regret to inform you that miscalculations are not an option and all who do so will be court-martialed to the most wretched, unwelcoming planet that I myself can think of...understood?"

"Yes, sir," Quinn's men replied as they saluted him.

"Corporal Meon, patch me through to the Republic Crater Command Post's security sensor recorders immediately," Quinn ordered.

"Right away, sir," Quinn's crewmember replied.

For the next couple of hours, Lieutenant Quinn sat uniformly in his chair, and never failed to keep his constant gaze upon the Crater Command Post's recorders. He searched every frame diligently, dissecting each of them for any possible sign that Darth Baras's apprentice would face difficulty. Quinn had commanded operations from a base point many times before, but never had he been so interested in the action or outcome of an operation. In his eyes, Darth Baras's apprentice was truly original, and did not possess the usual attitudes and actions of a Sith. Instead, she was cunning and resourceful on top of her magnificent strength and power. Watching her work through through the republic post's security made the Lieutenant feel invigorated for the first time in a very long while. He grinned with pleasure as he watched the Sith destroy the traitorous ensign Durmat in the prison, but yet he was extremely surprised that this Sith had excelled far beyond levels he thought her to be capable of.

"I must be honest-your success at the satellite control station and Republic crater outpost has surprised me, my Lord," Quinn informed Feroxa. "I computed the likelihood of success as nearly negligible. In my assessment, however, I only considered the capabilities of a typical Sith. Clearly, you are not a typical Sith. I will adjust future calibrations to account for your unprecedented abilities".

Feroxa found herself becoming angry at Quinn for doubting her as he began to address her; her feelings of rage began to dwindle, however, when the Lieutenant so blatantly pointed out that he considered her to be far greater than a normal Sith. This was a compliment that was welcomed enough to give Feroxa a half smile. At that moment, Feroxa decided she would flirt with this truly fascinating man. She was a woman after all, and she admitted to herself that she hadn't enjoyed flirtations with a man for a very long time.

"Quinn," Feroxa addressed him softly, "you know just what to say".

Much to Feroxa's dismay, Quinn did not pay very much attention to her advances. He was not quite sure what to make of them; therefore, he assumed it was just a kind gesture, and answered with a very military appropriate response. "I'm not too proud to acknowledge when I'm mistaken." he replied. "Lord Baras is pleased. He says it's time to zero in on your prime directive, and he awaits your contact. My barracks are yours. Activate the holocommunicator in the next room to speak with Lord Baras. The line is secure".

Feroxa did not want to leave the gorgeous Lieutenant's company, nor did she want him to leave while she was busy speaking with her master. "Don't wonder off," was all that Feroxa could manage to say to get him to stay without sounding like a silly little school girl. "I will be right here if needed, my Lord," Quinn retorted as he stood at attention. Feroxa then entered the next room to speak with her master.

"Your final target is the Balmorran Arms Factory," Quinn explained to Feroxa, "the resistance forces recently captured it and made it their headquarters". Quinn continued, "An incursion into the Arms Factory will be a monumental feat. I'm excited by the prospect of you laying waste to that place".

There it was, Feroxa's second chance at showering the striking Lieutenant with her attentions. Her hip cocked, arms crossed, and eyebrow rose as she prepared her reply. Vette rolled her eyes, for she knew exactly what was coming next. "So," Feroxa interupted, "I excite you, do I?".

Almost immediately a thick, red blush enveloped Quinn's face, and he struggled to find the right words. However, he was so cut off guard that it seemed as if his mouth could not form words at all. His eyes alertedly traveled downward and away from the Sith in an attempt to prevent further embarassment. "W-Well...what I meant was...," Quinn stuttered, but started regaining his composure, "when I think about all the ways you will shape the galaxy I get very excited, yes". He felt very relieved to have dodged that bullet.

Feroxa, however, was not satisfied with his response. As a matter of fact, she thought it was very entertaining to watch this man squirm under her advances. She was nowhere near finished with him yet.

"Admit it...you like me, don't you Quinn?" Feroxa whispered.

Once again, Quinn felt that all too familiar feeling of heat convering his face, and expected it was quite visible to the Sith. He had always hated how Sith mindlessly flirted with every person they saw fit, never ending their tortuous games.

"My Lord...," Quinn responded with a surprised tone, "is this the appropriate time and place for such an inquiry?" He cautiously raised his hand to his mouth in thought as to what to say next. "You're putting me in a very awkward position".

Feroxa was then ready to deliver her killing blow.

"Aren't your quarters an appropriate place?", she spoke softly.

That was it. Quinn had been embarassed beyond his ability of containment. He decided to play along with the Sith's flirtatious game, vowing that he would be on guard should she try such advances again. "Uh...I grant you that. It's not the place perhaps, but, uh...rather the time that leaves something to be desired".

"You're right," Feroxa replied with a sultry grin, "I wouldn't want to rush it".

He was wrong. It could be worse. His cheeks flushed greatly once more.

"N-No, nor...would I, my Lord." Quinn responded. "May I continue to brief you on the Balmorran Arms Factory?

"Proceed," Feroxa answered with a nod.


	6. Welcome Aboard, Captain

"The Republic Command Center is deep inside the Arms Factory, the most heavily guarded installation on the planet," Quinn briefed. "In order to reach Commander Rylon, you will have to make your way past all of the factory's defenses-which are considerable".

Feroxa greatly appreciated the Lieutenant for his efforts; they made her job easier, and she considered him to be an amazing sight to behold while he worked.

_So analytical. So in control. His genious is truly unmatchable by any I have ever seen. How is it possible that his remarkable talents have not yet been discovered by high ranking military personnel?_

"Give me a rundown on those defenses, Lieutenant," she ordered.

"Unknown, my Lord. But the resistance will definitely have state-of-the-art security and attack droids," Quinn informed her regrettably. It always annoyed him a great deal whenever he happened upon an encrypted code he could not decipher, such as in the case of the resistance headquarters security files. He basically had no choice but to send the Sith apprentice in blind, with no known information about the security she would be encountering. With heavy regret, Quinn continued to brief the apprentice, "Stationed inside are an estimated one thousand of the Republic's finest soldiers". Quinn's feelings of inadequacy quickly disappeared, however, as he began to brief Feroxa of Rylon's elite personal guard. He had been observing their operations for weeks now, and knew enough about them to disclose information as in depth and personal as what their favorite breakfast meal was. He always took it upon himself to be thorough; anything less than a complete report was punishable as heavily as treason in Quinn's eyes. Because of Quinn's ultimate need for a thorough report, he believed it necessary to update Feroxa on the Jedi investigator, even though his men were so heavy on her tail that she was immobile and immovable. "One final thing, my lord. The investigator that the Jedi have sent has been concentrating her activity around the Arms Factory," Quinn noted. I have her under minute by minute surveilance, but if she becomes a problem, I will update you on you comlink".

"I will answer if I am not tied down," Feroxa replied with a sense of urgency in her voice. After several days of covering her master's tracks and searching for her ultimate target on Balmorra, Commander Rylon, Feroxa had grown bloodthirsty for a strong, competable kill.

_It's a shame that I must kill a fellow Imperial, I would enjoy this moment so much more if that were not the case. _

Quinn suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He did wish for the Sith to feel as if he was not encouraging enough towards her mission, but he also did not want her to get the impression that he was violating standard military protocol, which forbids intimate fraternizing between two individuals of the military. Despite his division, he eventually settled on a response. "I will be here to salute you when the Balmorran Arms Factory is a smoking husk, my lord.

Lieutenant Quinn reported to his post immediately following Feroxa and Vette's departure. He worked diligently, never taking his eyes off the Jedi investigator, not even for an instant. It was his duty to ensure the investigator did not interfer with Darth Baras's plan to end Commander Rylon's life. Operations appeared to be going smoothly as Quinn confidently sipped his coffee and surveyed the security recordings for any unusual activity. Quinn's thoughts halted completely in their tracks and he choked on his coffee as he realized that the investigator was making a beeline for Commander Rylon's quarters. Adjusting the fine focus of his computer screens, Quinn leaned in towards the computer's speakers; he was beginning to hear the audio of a very intense coversation emitting from them. When he increased the volume, he realized that the conversation was between none other than Feroxa and Commander Rylon.

"Before I embrace my end," Commander Rylon paused, "I must know. My son...he was the only thing that was truly mine, and in love or weakness, I told him my secrets. I know you had to cover my tracks, but p-please, tell me...did he face his fate well?"

"Some things are better left unsaid, Commander," Feroxa replied with a heavy heart. She owed him that much for his unrelenting service to the Empire, but her own bitterness and jealousy could not give him the peace in death that he deserved. Feroxa knew she would face great difficulty in killing Rylon, simply for the fact that he has done so much for the Empire; he would be a tremedous, yet necessary loss.

"So be it. I will die believing he was strong," the Commander lamented. "We must make this fight look convincing, Sith, so that the Republic will not ask questions. I will not hold back. I will fight you as though you are my mortal enemy".

"With pleasure," added Feroxa as she unleashed her red, deadly sabers from their small prison.

Lieutenant Quinn paid no attention to the intermittent sounds of blaster fire or the low humming sound of light sabers slashing through the air. He was otherwise occupied with the Jedi investigator who had bugged Rylon's quarters; the Jedi was now undoubtedly attempting to transfer her recording of the events to the Jedi Council, which Quinn could not let happen. He began working more diligently than ever to reroute the Jedi's communications. He did so with little effort, and managed to do so without the Jedi having any suspicions of what had just transpired. At ease and full of confidence once more, Lieutenant Quinn arose from his chair with coffee in hand and retreated to the holoterminal on the other side of the room so that he could anxiously await Feroxa's call.

"Corporal Meon," Quinn said as he motioned for his soldier to come forward.

"Yes, sir," asked the corporal. The corporal knew very good and well not to cross his supervising officer. He was a loyal, respectful officer who admired success and duty above all else, and he was not very considerate when disappointed.

"Ready your squad to cut off the Jedi investigator from the spacedocks. Inform her that there has been a delay in departures from the station due to an overwhelming shortage of power in the docking generators," Quinn suggested, "dismissed". Docking generators were used to supply ships with a substantial amount of power for a short time in order to give ships the extra boost of energy necessary to leave the atmosphere. He knew without a doubt that his trivial lie would keep the Jedi delayed, indefinitely. Being the man of thorough report that was, however, he felt it undeniably necessary to inform Baras's apprentice of the Jedi's recent exploits.

"My lord," Quinn responded the moment he and Feroxa were joined via holocom, "I believe we've got trouble. I heard your entire conversation with Commander Rylon."

"How is this possible?" Feroxa asked, utterly confused by the Lieutenant's statement.

"I told you that I have the Jedi investigator surveilled and that she's been snooping around the Arms Factory. Apparently, she bugged Rylon's quarters, and as she listened in on your conversation, I heard what she heard. The investigator knows everything, my lord".

Feroxa felt anguish at these words. Baras specifically told her to not inform Quinn of any part of her mission, whatsoever, and she feared she may have compromised him. Yes, Commander Rylon was a good asset to the Empire, but she considered Lieutenant Quinn's skills to be invaluable, much too invaluable to kill him for overhearing what had occurred in the Arms Factory.

"The same can be said of you now," Feroxa added as she stared at the miniature figure of him on her comlink.

"Yes, but I pose no risk to Lord Baras. If this investigator gets away, she'll expose everything. She was heading to her ship, but I had my men move in and cut her off from the republic landing bay. I am systematically blocking her avenues of transmission and escape".

"I will be there soon," Feroxa informed him.

"I'm afraid there's more, my lord, My men who've engaged her have warned that she is wielding a lightsaber. It seems this investigator is a Jedi Knight. I advise caution when facing her."

"Killing Jedi is old hat for me," Feroxa added with a confident grin.

"Then my concern is unfounded, my apologies," lamented Quinn. He was truly concerned about something happening to Baras's apprentice. She was too valuable to the Empire and Baras's current escapade to be incapacitated now. "I will gather my remaining men and meet you at the spaceport. We will crush this jedi!".

_He certainly has a lot of passion buried deep inside that duty of his. Perhaps he could be reassigned somewhere useful if he would only use it more often._

Feroxa turned towards the exit, only to be cut off by Vette.

"I want to ask you something," Vette stated, showing no patience to wait until a later time. Feroxa submitted, "And what would that be?".

"We've been running together for a while now, and I've been trying to figure out exactly where you're coming from," Vette retorted.

"No riddles, just spit it out, Vette," Feroxa barked with annoyance as they both walked towards the exit.

"How is it that you can just...turn your evil kill-kill-grr-grr Sith personality off like a switch, and when we're just relaxing you're a completely different person, almost normal?" Vette asked.

Feroxa intentionally avoided eye contact with her over intrusive companion; she did not want the few tears that rested in them to be conveyed as a sign of weakness. "That is very personal, Vette, but I will answer it. In circumstances where I face an extremely strong enemy, especially a day like today, I often use my dark past as a source of power. It drives the animal in me, really. I see my father in each and every enemy I face, and my inner power and determination to kill him provide me with the edge I need to vanquish my enemies".

"Wow," Vette replied solemnly, "he must have really done a number on you and your mother, huh?"

"You have no idea," Feroxa replied, "You know, I didn't even want to be Sith when he began training me. All I wanted was to grow up, get married, and have my own life to live".

"How horrible," Vette whispered as she turned her gaze towards Feroxa, "so what happened to the dream?".

"It all crumbled to ashes," Feroxa snarled as she began to tighten her fists in emotional anguish. Father stole all of that from me; all of my peace, my joy, and my contentment was extinguished from my mind. He manipulated me in such a way that I eventually ended up succumbing to the Sith ways. Since then, power and corruption have become all I know, and I have tried so hard to become Sith because darkness is all I feel inside".

Just as Vette was about to reply, she and Feroxa arrived at Sobrik spaceport to find the Jedi investigator being contained on a loading deck. The Jedi looked upon Feroxa with surprise, and manipulated all others in the vicinity with her mind to run for their safety.

"You're too late, Sith," said the Jedi investigator as Feroxa and Vette closed in on her, "I already transmitted the conversation between you and Commander Rylon to the Jedi Council. Nomen Karr has his proof. Now Master Karr and his padawan will track down and eliminate all the Sith agents in the galaxy".

"Mark my words," Feroxa snapped as she stepped towards the Jedi, "they will be hunted every step of the way".

"You fight for a losing cause, Sith. I have purity of purpose. I seek neither thrills nor satisfaction. Unlike you, I am calm".

"You know nothing about me!" Feroxa barked as her eyes began to blaze with the seering thoughts of the Jedi's indirect insults towards her.

"Save yourself, surrender," the Jedi pleaded, "and the Jedi Council will give you every opportunity to discover redemption".

"Never!" shouted Feroxa, as she leaped into battle with the Jedi, lightsabers blazing. Her strength might have been slightly drained from her previous fight, but she was still more than strong enough to dispose of this weak Jedi. At the brink of defeat, the Jedi surrendered.

"Your victory means nothing. The damage has been done. The proof has been transmitted. So, deal the death blow, Sith. I am at peace knowing that the greater good has been served."

Feroxa stood her ground above the Jedi, and retracted her mainhand saber far above her head to deal her killing blow; however, the low sound of several footsteps heading her way caused her to pause her actions. She looked up from the Jedi to see Lieutenant Quinn and several of his men headed towards them. She couldn't see her reflection, but knew the smile Quinn elicited from her was very obvious, seeing as how he returned it with a smile of his own.

"I hate to burst your bubble, Jedi," Quinn spoke as he headed towards them. "No, that's a lie. I'm reveling in it". Quinn's strong demeanor towards the Jedi stirred yet another smile from her face. It was so unlike her to smile so much, but this truly was an exquisite moment, and excitement was due. "I intercepted your transmission," Quinn added, "the Jedi know nothing".

The Lieutenant's success thrilled Feroxa; without his aid, the Jedi Council would be well aware of Nomen Karr and his padawan's abilities, and nearly nothing could stop the relentless duo from exposing every last one of the Empire's spies. "Quinn, I could kiss you," Feroxa said as she beamed with relief.

Quinn was definitely taken aback by the Sith's sudden surge of emotion towards him. If their current situation hadn't included intercepting a Jedi Knight, then Quinn had no doubt he would be blushing. The task at hand kept him concentrated enough to keep his composure. "Just doing my job, my lord," he responded appreciatively. Quinn always did enjoy receiving praise from his superiors; in order to uplift his commendability further, he decided to disclose more details of his behind the scenes work to the Sith. "I had her monitored and screened the entire time," he boasted with a proud look on his face, "there was never any risk at all".

"Gloat all you like, it means nothing," interjected the Jedi, "Nomen Karr and his padawan will still defeat you. I remain at peace". Much to Quinn's dismay, she continued, "I am resigned. Strike me down. I offer no further resistance".

Feroxa was deeply tempted to put an end to the Jedi scum once and for all, but in the back of her mind, her reason spoke to her; it told her that she would be wasting a valuable source of information for the Empire.

"You are subdued," Feroxa spoke with an obviously regretful tone in her voice, "there is no sense in destroying you".

"I will take the wounded Jedi into custody, my lord," Quinn responded.

As Quinn walked towards the defenseless Jedi he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of power; he possessed the ability to lock this vermin away in a cell for all eternity, and he basked in it.

"Your lightsaber if you will, Jedi," Quinn commanded as he stripped the Jedi of her weapons, "men, escort this Jedi to her new home in the main prison".

Although he undeniably enjoyed the idea that his signature would warrant the arrest of this Jedi, Quinn couldn't help but feel off sync as he scowered his mind for reasons as to why the powerful Sith apprentice standing before him would spare her most hated enemy. He was accustomed to working with Sith who showed no reasons in their actions, only blind emotion, but this Sith casted her hate for the Jedi to the side in order for the Empire to prosper. He couldn't help himself; he had to inquire about the details of this Sith's decision.

"I'm sure you know what you are doing, my lord," he bowed, "but sparing the Jedi is a curious choice".

"A jedi investigator will be a wealth of information," Feroxa responded confidently.

"Of course, my lord," Quinn stated, "what matters now is that the crisis had been averted. Lord Baras will be anxious to know of your success. When you're ready, I will contact him from my office".

"Lead the way, Lieutenant," Feroxa added with a teasing smile. She figured since the breathtaking Lieutenant would only be in her charge a short while longer, she had better make the best of it.

"Right away, my lord," answered Quinn as he tried to hide a very slight blush that had spread accross his face.

"So...," Vette giggled as she and Feroxa rounded the corner to Quinn's office, "you going to miss Lieutenant Twinkletoes?".

Feroxa threw her arm out in front of Vette as means to stop her from walking forward as Feroxa herself came to a halt. "I'll have you know, Vette," Feroxa scolded as she turned to face Vette, "Lieutenant Malavai Quinn is perhaps the best officer the Empire has ever seen, and he deserves to be commended, not ridiculed, for his superb actions in the line of duty".

"You know what they say," Vette added with an enormous smirk on her face, "you always defend the ones you love...oh look, what was that? I'm pretty sure I just saw a sign back there that said it was happy hour at the cantina! See ya!". Vette scurried away quickly to avoid further scorn from her master.

Feroxa quickly wrote off the words Vette spoke to her; however, they still troubled her.

_She has no idea what she is talking about. I do not lo-no, I don't even have a crush on Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. He's just a very prime asset to the Emp-oh, who are you kidding Feroxa! What's not to like about him? He is dashing, handsome, intelligent, handsome, intriguing, handsome, and oh...he is so handsome. Look at you doting, pull yourself together. This is the last time you will ever walk through this door. You will never see this man again._

Although Feroxa was able to come to terms with this and prepare to say her goodbyes, part of her was unchangably saddened at the thought of saying goodbye to Quinn.

"Nice of you to join us," Darth Baras addressed Feroxa as she barged into Quinn's office. Quinn apparently had already contacted Baras via comlink, and was discussing with him the matters of her mission. "Quinn refuses to update me, insisting the privilege be yours. I assume the Jedi investigator has been stopped?".

"I handled it well, master," Feroxa responded. She hated addressing Baras so formally, but knew it had to be done for the sake of her own life.

"I had hoped to avoid confronting the Jedi, but our hand was forced." Darth Baras exclaimed. "What matters most is that Rylon cannot be exposed. And how would you assess Lieutenant Quinn's contribution?".

With a jolt of unexpectance, Quinn quickly moved to attention, eagerly staring at the Sith. Feroxa found it difficult to form words when he stared at her with such intensity, but finally broke free from the prison his eyes held her in as she turned her attention to Darth Baras. "Lieutenant Quinn is an exceptional officer," Feroxa doted as she turned towards Quinn and smiled, "I couldn't have done it without him". Feroxa's smile instantly caused Quinn to feel some discomfort in the pit of his stomach; it seemed to him as if his nerves were attempting to jump from his body. He'd felt similar feelings around women before, but never this strong. In an attempt to humbly thank her for her approval, Quinn bowed before her slightly and returned her gaze with a small smile of his own.

"High praise indeed," interrupted Baras. "Quinn, I believe you have sufficiently repaid the debt owed to me". Quinn nodded in contentment, his eyes widening slightly as Baras continued, "I'm putting you up for a captaincy and transmitting an executive order allowing you to be stationed wherever you choose".

"Thank you, Lord Baras," Quinn exclaimed in awe, "if my actions benefit the Empire, they benefit me. I would have done the same regardless of our past". Quinn was completely and utterly filled with joy. For nearly a decade, he had been forced to serve on the pathetic front of Balmorra, and knowing that his many years of bitter servitude there were finally over was invigorating. He knew none of this would have been possible if it weren't for the woman standing right in front of him. She had freed him of his personal prison, and he would be eternally grateful. He surprised Feroxa indefinitely as he turned to her to offer his personal thanks.

"My lord, before I depart, I must say that it's been my extreme honor to serve you. You are the epitome of everything the Empire stands for".

"Very well, then," Baras interrupted, "apprentice, I will convene with you once more when you are aboard your ship".

As Quinn cut the transmission between them and Darth Baras, Feroxa pondered on flirting with him one last time.

_What could it hurt? It's not like I'm ever going to see him again, anyway..._

"I'm going to miss your rugged good looks, Quinn," Feroxa whispered as she leaned seductively against the holoterminal.

"Perhaps our paths will cross again, my lord," Quinn spoke as he started to pack his personal items.

Within the hour, Quinn was finished, and he sat down at his desk to begin filling out his reassignment papers. He instantly became overwhelmed at the many prospects of opportunity he now faced. One in particular being a position on Dromund Kaas, where he would undoubtedly excel in favor and rank, not to mention his abilities would be unprecedented there. It was decided, then. He would submit his papers with a wish to be assigned to Dromund Kaas, and he would finally get the acknowledgement he deserved. Everything Quinn had hoped for his entire life had just been offered to him, yet he hesistated.

_This is the opportunity of a lifetime, so why do I feel so conflicted?_

Quinn's thoughts began racing back to Feroxa's exploits, which he dutifully observed via security cameras. He was amazed with her skill and presence, and he delighted in serving her. While working on Balmorra, Quinn's resilience to feel useful had become drained, but this woman came and brought him back to life again. Quinn had hesitated about confronting many things in his life, and in that moment he determined that this situation would not be one of them; he knew what had to be done.

"So...we're leaving, right?" Vette asked as she and Feroxa boarded the elevator to their ship's hangar, "on to our next exercise in domination and destruction?".

"It would seem so, Vette," Feroxa replied. She hadn't given Vette much thought since their incident in the corridor outside Quinn's office. Her mind had been too preoccupied with distress.

"Well," Vette continued, "hope the next place we end up has a beach".

As Feroxa smiled and turned towards the direction of the ship, her mouth shot open an unprecedented gasp.

"What, what is-oh boy..." Vette remarked as she noticed Lieutenant Quinn inspecting the ship on the opposite end of the hangar. He had not yet noticed their arrival, but Feroxa soon broke the distance between them as she frantically marched towards him. Vette then rolled her eyes and followed Feroxa at a slow pace.

As the sound of approaching footsteps grew close, Malavai Quinn averted his eyes from the ship he was admiring to the highly confused yet excited Sith behind him.

"My lord, I hope you don't find my appearance here obtrusive. I beg an audience." stated Quinn.

_Oh, dear..._, Feroxa thought.

"I will always welcome you, Quinn," Feroxa invited with a bright yet held back smile.

"It pleases me to know that, my lord," Quinn retorted, "as you know, Lord Baras enabled my reassignment anywhere I choose. It is an evolution I've longed for and assumed would never come". He began to pace now; his predicament was causing him to become slightly embarassed, but he knew his petition was necessary in order to keep him from going insane behind a desk on Dromund Kaas. With a deep breath, he stopped pacing and continued, "Aiding your mission on this planet awakened the ambition I began my career with-to make the most profound impact possible for the Empire".

"Welcome back to life, Quinn," Feroxa chimed with satisfaction.

Quinn began to shake his head and scoff with amazement at how easily she understood him, "That is how it feels, my lord". Quinn gulped and tugged on the collar of his uniform as he spoke again. "I cannot think of a more glorious and honorable way to make a difference in the galaxy than to serve you".

Feroxa couldn't believe what she was hearing; it was like music to her ears. Although she would never admit it to Vette, she had a profound crush man, and the idea of him being near her at all times made her feel almost as excited as she was nervous. She had no clue what would become of this new addition to her crew, but she was welcome to his company. Then, just as she thought her heart had calmed down from its rapid pulsations, her new captain proved her wrong. He got down on bended knee as a sign of devotion to her cause, which sent Feroxa into a feeling of bliss and Vette into a feeling of disgust.

"I'm here to pledge myself to you. I'm ready and willing to serve in whatever capacity you see fit." Quinn finalized.

"Whatever capacity I see fit?" Feroxa flirted, "how exciting".

"More like nauseating," Vette grumbled as she rubbed her forehead. Vette knew she would pay for that comment later, but for now, she would keep her mouth shut and listen to Captain Prissypants and her giddy master subconsciously dote on each other.

"She thinks she's funny..." Feroxa said as she scowled at Vette.

Being unable to decipher how the Sith felt about him joining her crew, Malavai began to plead his case even more. "My lord, if given the chance, I know I will prove myself to you". "I'm a top notch pilot, military strategist, and a deadly shot. I can fly this ship, plan your battles, assess your enemies and then kill them"_._

Feroxa stood in front of Captain Quinn with deep thought visible in her eyes. _Is there anything he can't do?_

Quinn continued, "You won't find a more tireless and loyal subject. I offer my military prowess and dedicate every ounce of my strength to your cause".

"Sounds like a plan," Feroxa spoke with confidence. In Feroxa's mind, she was the luckiest Sith...and woman in the galaxy.


	7. Suppressing Feelings

After a tediously long day of preparing the ship for departure, Feroxa and her crew set course for the shallow, gang infested planet of Nar Shaddaa, where Feroxa would receive further instructions from her master, Darth Baras. They had been traveling for several hours, well into the night, when Feroxa grew restless and retreated to the cockpit. In an effort to make herself more comfortable, she laid on a chair in the lower section of the cockpit with her legs flailed over the left armrest, relaxing her head on the headrest's cushion. She began twirling Overseer Tremel's ring that she now wore on her right hand through and around her fingers, observing every angle of the ring possible.

_I do wonder how much this is worth...it looks timeless._

The sound of footsteps making their way into the cockpit stirred Feroxa's attention. She knew they had to belong to her new Captain, considering she could hear Vette's small, but profound snores earlier through her chamber door. Feroxa quickly began to tug at her satin black night robe, adjusting it to further flatter her figure; she shifted her weight slightly on her right hip and smoothed the fabric of her robe over with her hands so that her long, slender left leg was visible to the naked eye. Feroxa knew the Captain was a conservative man, but she couldn't resist this perfectly situated attempt to break his resilience.

"Can't sleep, Captain?" Feroxa called out through the dull light.

"Ah, my lord, my apologies," the Captain lamented as he bowed before the Sith, "I did not realize that you were currently utilizing the cockpit for your own personal use, I do, however, request an audience, if my lord will permit it".

Feroxa chuckled at Quinn's guilt; it made flirting with him all the more exciting.

"Of course, Captain," Feroxa replied as she turned her chair to face him, making sure that the minute amount of light that shined overhead illuminated her exposed leg in a way that made her look absolutely irresistible, "you may sit".

Quinn nodded and retreated to the chair directly opposite the Sith in the lower section of the cockpit; however, Feroxa stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I don't think so, Quinn," Feroxa scolded teasingly as she lifted an eyebrow and rested her head on her hand.

"My lord, I am conflicted as to what you desire," Quinn added with a confused tone.

"You needn't sit there," Feroxa explained, "you are the Captain of this vessel, you belong in the Captain's chair".

"My lord, I do meet the qualifications of a Captain, yes, but I only consider myself to be a mere passenger aboard this vessel," Quinn exhorted, "the Captain's chair should be utilized by the owner of the vessel in question, which would be you, my lord".

Feroxa scoffed, "Hoppycock, Captain, you don't see me sitting in it now, do you?". She continued, "And besides, I do not have the experience necessary to pilot this vessel appropriately. The honor is all yours. Now, sit.".

Captain Quinn grew very aware that he had just lost his arguement with his lord, and he settled himself into the Captain's chair with slight hesitation.

_How unusual of her to relinquish her power and capabilities over this ship to me. It is definitely atypical. You must log this entry in your journal later, Malavai._

It was then that the light of the galaxy map between them began to light up the Sith's tight and luxurious figure; Quinn's eyes grew in bewilderment when viewed the stunningly beautiful Sith in her robe. He found himself paying attention to every little part of the fabric that closely clinged to her body, and he cleared his throat in an attempt to distract himself from the startling view.

"M-My lord," Quinn addressed, shooting up from the chair and covering his eyes with his hand out of respect, "please, allow me to excuse myself. I d-did n-not realize you were in your undergarmets. I apologize.".

Feroxa sat up in the chair and addressed Quinn. "No need for that, Captain. I frequently wear my robe aboard the ship, and it is not a situation you will be able to avoid, unless of course, you want to avoid seeing me".

"Not at all, my lord," Quinn replied, "I simply wanted to respect your privacy, that is all".

"Noted," Feroxa acknowledged, "now tell me, Quinn, how is the ship to your liking?".

"Very capable, my lord," Quinn responded with ease, "I have settled into my quarters and fully acquainted myself with the ship. I am now at your disposal.".

In Quinn's response, Feroxa identified the perfect opening for a flirtatious comment. "I should probably inspect those quarters, Captain," she whispered as she winked at him.

Quinn was taken extremely off guard by Feroxa's suggestion; he could not justify it, for he was sure that she had been made aware of acceptable military etiquette. Whatever her reasoning may be, Quinn was thankful that the dimness of the room aided him in masking the now apparent blush that had swept accross his face violently. "You will find them spotless and in order, my lord," he answered honestly. Quinn always prided himself with being highly neat and thorough. "I thank you, my lord," he stated, "you will find that I am fully trained in the aspects of operating this vessel. I can both navigate and pilot.".

_A very delicious combination, if I do say so myself...but why does he act so dull sometimes?_

"If you're half as good at evading obstacles as you are my advances, then my ship is in good hands," Feroxa reflected.

"I am here to do a job, my lord," Quinn answered as he tilted his face slightly away from his lord's view. He still couldn't wrap his finger around why this prominent Sith in front of him continued to bombard him with signs of affection; they were strictly inappropriate, and made him feel extremely awkward. However, being the man of reason he was, he simply could not deny the fact that her advances boosted his ego greatly, even if the advances were unacceptable. He decided he would simply not dwell on her advances and that he would dodge them whenever they occurred.

_Surely she will relent once she sees that I will not give in to her games._

"Well, Captain," Feroxa said to Quinn as she arose from her chair and glided towards him with fervor. She stopped briefly behind him and began to trace her fingers along the back of his chair, "as much as I would love to chat with you all night, I do believe your resistance has exhausted me.". Feroxa yawned, stretching her muscles to their maximum capacity, "I am going to bed.".

As Feroxa turned towards the stairs, Quinn caught a quick, but memorable whiff of the perfume she had been wearing. Unable to control himself, he gave in to one miniscule act of self-indulgence, and he inhaled her scent deeply; the smell reminded him of a valley full of wild lillies, tossing and turning as the wind manipulated them.

_Malavai, this is improper...you know standard military protocol prohibits your feelings. You must bury them deep. You went through Imperial training to learn how to deal with military situations such as this. Avoiding this issue is not out of your spectrum of possibility._

"Oh, and Captain," Feroxa grinned as she interrupted his intense thoughts, "sweet dreams".

Feroxa then slipped away into the darkness, leaving Quinn in the cockpit alone.

_Nar Shaddaa, ETA 5 hours, thirty-two minutes. Time to get some rest, and perhaps a cold shower._


	8. Three Wishes

"So...," Vette spoke as she wandered into the cantina where Feroxa and Captain Quinn were diligently planning the demise of Lord Rathari and Agent Dellacon, "I slept in way too long this morning, what did I miss?".

"Our mission is to take down Agent Dellacon, the last of Baras's loose ends," Feroxa replied, "along with his protector, Lord Rathari".

"You mean like a Sith Lord, Lord?" Vette asked as her eyes opened with shock. "How did Dellacon manage to recruit that guy?".

"My lord," Quinn interrupted, "do you think it wise to discuss such highly classified information in the presence of nonmilitary personnel?".

"Vette is just as useful as the two of us," Feroxa scolded. During the several weeks she had spent with Vette, Feroxa and Vette had become much closer, and Feroxa considered Vette to be her good friend. As a matter of fact, Feroxa considered Vette to be her only friend. "However, Quinn," Feroxa addressed with a calmer voice, "I deeply appreciate your input". Feroxa surprised herself when she began to feel remorse for scolding the Captain. Her usual Sith attitude left her feeling reasonably accomplished after barking orders at a person, but Feroxa only felt a dull, numbing sensation of heartache in the moment that she questioned Quinn's judgement. It was almost as if she wanted to apologize for her actions.

"Very well, my lord," Quinn proclaimed, "it is ultimately your decision. I thank you for your indulgence".

"Ah, if I'm going to help plan people's deaths this early in the morning I'm going to need a drink," Vette smirked as she vacated her seat and beelined towards the bar.

"Alright, Captain," Feroxa voiced as she turned her attention towards the handsome military man sitting accross from her drinking his coffee, "what's the plan?".

Quinn quickly sat his coffee down and began to investigate the building schematics he had successfully displayed accross the table. "My lord, your goal is to relinquish trading between Lord Rathari and the Hutt Cartel. Considering the Hutts are strong Imperial allies, I suggest a peaceful confrontation".

"I will do my best," Feroxa replied, examining her lightsabers as she spoke, "but I will make no promises".

"Yes, of course, my lord. According to my calculations, taking out Rathari's apprentice appears to be the soundest option in success. You and I will ambush him at his meeting with the Hutt Cartel in this building, here". Quinn pointed out the rendevous point and moved on to other aspects of the mission. "I do not suspect combat will be an issue for you in this fight, my lord," Quinn praised, "my records of Lord Rathari's apprentice prove that he only narrowly escaped the Sith Academy, and that he received substantial support from a certain Overseer who I dare say showed an excessive amount of favoritism on his behalf".

Feroxa knew Quinn was one of the best analysts in the entire Imperial Empire, but she also knew that she would be a fool if she did not expect the worst. "And if Rathari's apprentice does engage?" Feroxa inquired.

"No worries," Quinn responded diligently, "your strength will greatly surpass that of his, my lord". After a short moment of silence, Quinn looked up from the building schematics he was observing in order to address Feroxa, and he was certain that if he had been standing his knees would have buckled under him.

_She looks so beautiful sitting there drinking her coffee. It's a good thing you've buried your feelings for her, Malavai, or else your emotions would most likely get the better of you in this situation._

Quinn managed to successfully distract himself from his master's incomprehensible attractiveness after he watched her for a brief moment. He knew that such feelings could compromise their mission and leave one or both of them injured, captured, or killed in action. After several days of deliberation, Quinn finally theorized that his master was only toying with him. He had seen Sith flirt irrationally with random individuals on a random basis; he had even experienced a situation in the past in which a female Sith Lord persisted in similar advances towards him peronally, only to reveal several moments later that she was toying with him. In order to further alleviate the attraction he held for his master, he focused on admiring her as a loyal and strong leader instead of as a beautiful and cunning woman.

"Very well, Captain," Feroxa noted, "I go now to inform Vette of her duties while we are gone. The meeting should have started by now, so we are right on time. Prepare your schematics, and lets depart".

"Yes, my lord".

Feroxa made her way towards the ambush point with Quinn by her side, spouting out nonsense about statistics and combat success probability every step of the way. She was thankful for his consideration and strong attention to detail, though, even if she had become slightly upset that he ignored her when she flirted with him. Feroxa was beginning to believe she should just stop flirting with Quinn altogether; she felt as if he was entirely uninterested in her, and that being with her was the last item on his agenda. Therefore, Feroxa figured she may as well bury her feelings for him and concentrate her advances towards other men who actually showed interest in her.

As the pair made their way inside the building, they happened upon the meeting itself very unexpectedly and almost passed it by completely. It was strangely out in the open in a very large and unsecured room.

_No wonder Quinn calculated an easy fight, there is no security._

Remaining hidden, Feroxa and Quinn disappeared behind the doorway of the room. They planned to wait there until the right moment arrived to expose themselves.

"You would be wise to bend to the great Lord Rathari's will. Sign over the specified territories before he loses his patience," spoke Apprentice Girik.

"Your master is a hard man, Girik. it's not easy to trap a Hutt, let alone the entire Cartel. It seems we have no other choice".

"Well, Rathari isn't here," Feroxa groaned to Quinn quietly, "so I suppose his apprentice will have to succumb to his death alone".

"Lead the way, my lord".

"Would you like an alternative?" Feroxa questioned the Hutts as she and Quinn made their way from their unsuspected hiding spot to the center of the room.

"This is a closed session. Who are you?" asked one of the two overly sized and worm looking Hutts.

"I'll tell you who this is," Girik interrupted as he began to pace back and forth in front of Feroxa, "this is the apprentice of an over-the-hill Sith named Darth Baras. Yes, that's right. My master and I anticipated your arrival".

"Have you also anticipated your doom?" Feroxa questioned.

"Oh, hoho, it seems another Sith suitor appears. Tell us your purpose, dark one," stated one of the Hutts.

"I'm here to make sure the Cartel doesn't become Rathari's pawn".

Quinn beamed at Feroxa with respect when he saw how successful she was at this matter of diplomacy.

"There are proper channels to seek our audience, Sith You stack the odds against yourself by angering us. Not very smart".

"I urge you to stand aside and watch me dispatch this pretender," Feroxa settled.

Quinn was very pleased with Feroxa's obvious plan. She truly was the most clever Sith he had ever come in contact with. The Hutts would never resist a chance to gamble.

"It would be intriguing if you could back that bravado up," the left Hutt retaliated.

"We have seen Rathari's strength firsthand. We know nothing of yours," responded the Hutt on the right.

"Fight Girik; let us see who is superior. If you survive, we will consider delaying our treaty with Rathari".

"What odds will you give me on the intruder, Ybann?" asked the Hutt on the right.

"Two to one. I'll take all bets that Girik survives the day".

_Foolish Hutts are wasting my time._

"You're lucky we're allies," Feroxa growled as she ignited her sabers.

"Our alliance begins with the death of Baras's slave," Girik scowled, "I will crush you!".

Girik attempted to lunge straight into combat with Feroxa, but he faltered; his battle jump left his abdomen completely open for a strike...a strike in which Feroxa took full advantage of. She launched her mainhand saber forward with a jabbing motion as she lifted her offhand saber to block Girik's pitiful attempt at an assault. Her saber slid through him as if he were made of nothing but water; at the moment Feroxa's powerful weapon seered through him, Girik collapsed to the floor, shivering profusely at Feroxa's feet. Feroxa had wounded him directly in the middle of his abdomen. In that moment, Feroxa became thankful that lightsabers cauterized all wounds they gave; if the wound had not been cauterized, she would have had to clean an overwhelming amount of blood from her boots later.

"Come, Quinn," Feroxa spoke as she turned to address the Captain, "let us leave this worm to die in misery".

"Yes, my lord," Quinn responded, "and my lord, if I may, I request an audience once we return to the ship".

"Audience granted, Captain. You go ahead to the ship without me. I will speak with Baras's contact alone".

"Word's spread through the streets that Rathari's conference with the Hutts was invaded and that his apprentice was killed. I'm very impressed that you were able to remain diplomatic with the Hutts. The alliance is still intact," greeted Haldrell Setsyn, "too bad Rathari wasn't in attendance, but man I bet he's fuming!".

"What happens next?" Feroxa asked.

"Rathari's also on the verge of taking over the Republic's base of operations in the upper industrial sites. With his work with the Cartel dashed, he's sure to pour himself into squashing the Republic garrison. If you manage to relinquish him of his operations there, a confrontation between the two of you will be inevitable".

Meanwhile, back at the ship, Quinn continued to work diligently on installing the new upgrades for his lord's ship that he had began working on the night before. He worked to improve nearly every aspect of the ship's functions, and did so with great precision and accuracy. Despite Quinn's strong dedication to the military and scholastic acheivement, he had turned out to be quite the handy man in his adulthood; he had enjoyed tinkering with electronics and machinery in his spare time for as long as he could remember.

Eventually, Quinn's fatigue began to draw on him, begging him for rest, but he ignored it. In all of his years of service, he had never wanted to please a superior with his work more than he did now. Feroxa had obvious confidence in him, yes, but Quinn wanted more; he wanted his lord to respect his loyalty and dedication to her campaign, and he wanted her to know without question that he would not fail her. It was her, after all, that had granted him his new taste of freedom and reawakened his somewhat deadening faith in the Empire.

The heat in the engine room soon proved too overcoming for the determined Captain, so he removed the top shirt of his uniform in retalliation. He would never dream of working shirtless while Feroxa was on board; he knew she would torment him about it. After contemplating the many different innuendos that Feroxa would impose on him if she found him working in such a condition, Quinn found himself unable to think about anything else but her. His thoughts filled with memories of her seemingly joking advances, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat annoyed at her irresponsible actions.

_My lord's counterfeit affections certainly do keep me on edge, but why does she test me so? Could she be testing my resolve, or does she simply lack respect for me?_

Then, as if a ton of bricks came crashing down upon Quinn's head, he realized what was going on.

_Ah, I understand completely now. She is not interested in me at all. She is employing me as an object of entertainment...how else would she be able to last this long in her advances? Sith only form intimate relationships with each other, not with non-Sith, and my entertainment theory explains why she would be aware of proper military protocol and ignore it anyway. I'm afraid I'll just have to learn to accomodate my lord's irrational sense of humor._

Quinn leaned under one of the ship's loud, humming engines to begin tightening a bolt attached to it, blissfully unaware of the loud footsteps that slowly closed the gap between them. Feroxa suddenly appeared in the doorway, bracing herself to address the Captain, but her eyes moved much faster than her mouth. Feroxa's mouth dropped slightly as her bright eyes, filled with passion, danced over the contours of Quinn's superb military physique. She watched with desire as his strong, bulging biceps worked with the wrench in his hands, and she admired him with pleasure as the irrestible muscles that made up his back flexed and relaxed with his movements. In that moment, Feroxa realized she could not suppress her feelings for Quinn any longer, no matter if they were reciprocated or not. She knew she had no other choice but to come to terms with the insane truth that she wanted him, all of him. She wanted to close the distance between them and to kiss him passionately, but she hesitated instead.

_Who am I kidding? He would never want me. I could not possibly give this man the life he so obviously desires. I would rather torture myself by admiring him from afar than open my heart to him and watch him leave. _

"You wished to speak, Quinn?".

"Ah, wh-what...(clank!)...ahh damn!" Quinn moaned as he began to rub his throbbing head. Feroxa had managed to catch him so off guard that he banged his head on the engine he was working on". Quinn began to dress himself frantically, and was obviously embarassed by what he considered indecent exposure.

"My lord, my apologies...I...I...," he studdered.

"You what?" Feroxa added with a slight grin. She was still too aroused to find Quinn's struggles funny.

"I-I was working here in the engine room, and the heat became intolerable, my lord," Quinn replied with embarassment. As he began to fasten the buttons on his uniform, he started to regain his composure. "Earlier, I wanted to update you on the condition of your ship. It has responded extremely well to my optimizations. I'm pleased to report that we are operating at peak efficiency". Quinn adjusted his uniform appropriately and stood at attention, anxiously awaiting his master's response.

"I'm glad to hear it. Keep up the good work". Feroxa's arousal hadn't diminished at all as she glared at the Captain, mentally undressing him with her eyes. She longed to stare at him again, even if it were just for a moment. She shuddered at the thought of touching the once bare skin that was now covered by a fresh, crisp uniform top.

"I fully intend to, my lord"

Feroxa's desire continued to build inside of her to the point that she had to lean against the doorway to give herself enough leverage to stand. "Your demeanor makes me tense, Captain. Work on loosening up".

_I do believe she is testing my resolve once more._

"I see," Quinn lied, "Actually, my lord, I don't see. Is that an order or are you testing my professionalism?".

"it's an order".

"I have customized this evening's dinner to completely satisfy your nutritional needs, master".

"Thank you, 2V-R8. I will have my dinner in the conference room as usual,". Feroxa glanced up at the Captain's chair and noticed Quinn working diligently on what seemed to be an enormous stack of paperwork. "so will Captain Quinn, 2V".

"I-I will, my lord? I mean, I will, my lord, if you wish it".

"Consider it my first wish of the night," Feroxa cooed as she sauntered by him seductively. He organized his documents into a neat stack and locked them in a drawer in the lower section of the cockpit, and he followed his lord into the conference room.

"Quinn!" Feroxa yelled in a joking manner as she slammed her hands down onto the conference room table, "I've decided on my second wish!".

"I had no idea you would be following through with this game, my lord, but I will humor you. What is it you require?".

"A secret for a secret," Feroxa smiled as she seasoned her vegetables.

"My lord, are you sure that such an activity is appropriate?"

"Of course, Quinn, why wouldn't it be? We're just two people with similar interests enjoying a luxurious dinner together. Besides, it's important for people who spend a long time together to get to know each other". After a long, drawn out pause that consisted of no sound except for the clinking of silverware and china, Feroxa chuckled at Quinn. "Damn it, Quinn! You're supposed to go first!".

"Ah, I see. My lord, I must say, wouldn't you consider it hardly honorable for one to request such an act of disclosure and expect another individual to be the first to commence the said activity?" Quinn said with an enormous grin on his face.

"Ah!" Feroxa squealed as she gently slapped Quinn's forearm. "Captain, I didn't peg you to be the jesting type".

"In private, my lord, I am sure you will find that I am much more neighborly". Quinn was now wearing a rather large smile on his face as he finished his dinner; normally, Quinn would not allow himself to spend time with a superior in such a non-formal manner, but the liquor he consumed at the beginning of his evening with her had him relaxed and sociable. "And to your earlier request, my lord, I will say that there is a reason I was languishing on Balmorra before you arrived. A decade ago, I served under Moff Broysc at the Battle of Druckenwell. Moff Broysc made a critical oversight that nearly brought the fleet to the brink of complete defeat. I ignored his order and turned the tide to victory".

_Quinn, you truly are brilliant..._

"Then you should be commended," Feroxa beamed as she wiped her mouth with her crimson Imperial napkin, never taking her eyes off of Quinn, not even for an instant.

"That's not how the Moff saw it," Quinn said with a sigh. Feroxa almost reached out to stroke his forearm in comfort, but quickly retracted her left hand back under the table.

"Broysc took credit for the reversal, which is fine, but he then court-martialed me". Feroxa could now see the overbearing anger that was buried deep in Quinn's eyes; it was faint, but it was there. It was as if his anger was an untapped explosion, calmly sitting on the brink of destruction. "Darth Baras assigned me to Balmorra or my career would have been over. Moff Broysc has blocked every transfer and promotion I've been up for since".

Feroxa found herself sharing his anger. She valued the Empire stronger than her own life. It was the only thing she ever clinged to in her life that had never disappointed her, and she considered anyone ignorant enough to cause harm to the Empire an automatic enemy. "I have no tolerance for idiots like this Moff".

"I could say more about him, my lord, but my point has been made. I serve you now. I have no regrets".

"I'm truly surprised, Captain. I didn't expect you to play my little game. I suppose it's my turn". Feroxa paused her words and began fiddling with the food on her plate in an attempt to think of a good secret to disclose. "Alright," she announced, "I have one for you". Feroxa could feel the alcohol's effects burning through her body as she opened her dark past up to Quinn. "My father used to be an Overseer on Korriban until he angered a Darth there. He was then dismissed from his post and returned to my mother and me on Dromund Kaas, where he never failed to beat my mother every single day".

"My condolences, my lord," Quinn responded.

"Hold your apologies for later, Captain, the story gets worse. My father remained oblivious to my presence until he discovered that I was force sensitive. Following this, my father ridded me of all my childish possessions and forced me to do nothing but train for the Sith Academy. He wasted my life away. A life that I thought was mine to live, but apparently it was his".

"You have my respect, my lord"

"Thank you, Quinn. I wish you knew how much that means to me".

"It is my duty for my lord to be satisfied with me," Quinn added with a nod.

As 2V-R8 barged in to clear the conference table of the many plates that decorated it, Feroxa and Quinn exited the conference room and moved to the couch in the lounge. In the back of her mind, Feroxa wondered where Vette could have wandered off to, but quickly dismissed the thought when she heard Vette's soft snores in her bunk.

"Come sit with me for a while, Captain".

"I suppose I can spare a few more moments, my lord". Quinn seated himself on the opposite end of the couch and turned to face Feroxa. "Is there anything in particular you would like to discuss?".

_It's now or never. I'll probably never get an opportunity like this again._

"Yes, Captain, it's about my third wish," Feroxa admitted as she inched closer to where Quinn sat, "I order you to kiss me...". Feroxa was now as close to Quinn as physically possible while in a sitting position; she began to wrap her arms around his neck as he pushed her away diligently.

"My lord, I believe you have consumed to much alcohol. It is clouding your judgement".

"No, Quinn, it's not. I want you Quinn, please". Feroxa stood up from the couch and walked over to him slowly. "I've wanted you for days, Malavai. I just haven't had the gaul to say anything about it until now".

Quinn shuddered at the sound of his name leaving her lips; she had never called him by his first name, and although he considered it inappropriate, it secretly thrilled him. After several moments of fighting with her, Quinn had finally lured the slightly intoxicated Feroxa into her quarters.

_She needs to sleep this off. She will be able to think more clearly tomorrow._

"My lord, you need rest now".

"No, Quinn! I need you to touch me...now...please!"

"My lord, I will not. It would be neither appropriate or chivalrous. With that being said, I must bid you goodnight".

Feroxa was going into hysterics now. She couldn't explain why, but all she could do was cry. They taught her in the Academy that crying was a sign of weakness, but she didn't care; all she cared about was that she felt completely and utterly hated by Quinn, and she felt hideous and unappreciated. "Fine! You coward!" Feroxa screamed through her chamber doors. "I was just teasing you, anyway! Is that what you want to hear, hmm? That I'm not attracted to you? I'm not! You and I are in a strictly professional relationship...nothing more...nothing less!". Feroxa turned towards her bed and collapsed on it in tears. She gathered the pillow opposite her in her arms, latched onto it, and cried to the point of hyperventilation. "An-d-d that's all we ev-v-ver will be...," Feroxa sobbed as she buried her face into her pillow and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Quinn settled himself into his bunk and continued drinking. Despite his burning desire to take Feroxa up on her offer, he had declined. Quinn was an honorable man, and he didn't perceive it to be ethical or appropriate to take advantage of her. He was certain that if he had been anyone else he could not have resisted her. Quinn knew he was attracted to his lord; that much was certain. On the other hand, Quinn now had the impression that Feroxa wasn't interested in him romantically at all, which further fueled his restraint with her.

_I knew she only wanted to play games with me. It will be much easier to focus on my duties now that I am sure her feelings are strictly professional. Our mission will undoubtedly go smoothly now; yet here I lay, wallowing in my own misery and drinking myself to despair. _

In the dark silence of the crew quarters, there was no stirring or sighing of any kind. The only decipherable sound was the gentle sloshing of a liquor bottle.


End file.
